Bolster end construction



Sept. 20, 1932.

H. E. DOERR BOLSTER END CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. '23 3 Sheets-Sheet l Wm wwww m5 w N Q MMN QM Sept. 20, 1932. H. E. DOERR BOLSTER END COISISTRUCTION Filed Jan. 25, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 20, 1932. H. EJDCERR- 1,878,473

BOLSTER END CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan; 23, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY E. DOERR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SOULLIN STEEL COMPANY, OIE 7 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE IBOLSTER END cons'rrwcriolv Application filed. January 23, 1931. Serial No. 510,610.

This invention relates to improvements in truck bolster construction and particularly to the design of the endsof the bolster.

It hasbeen customary to use box-section truck bolsters which have substantially rectangular ends adapted to be received in vertical guide openings of the truck side frames. The load upon the center of the bolster is transmittedthrough suitable springs to the side frames and the spring plank which ties together the side frames. The top portion of the bolster end has customarily been pro- 7 vided with openings which tend to reduce the weight and make the casting and cleaning of the bolster relatively more easy. It has been found, however, that if the opening at the top surface of the bolster end is cut in from the extreme end of the bolster that the sides of the bolster end tend to spread upon casting and if the openings in the top surface of the bolster end extend in the plane of the side frame, the mid-portions of the sides of the bolster ends which form the vertical guidmg means, tend to spread upon casting.

It is an object of the present invention to so design the openings in the top wall of the bolster end that the above objections due to spreading of the sides of the bolster end do not occur.

It is a purpose of the present invention to so form the openings in thetop surfaces of the bolster ends that the sides of the bolster ends are tied together at their extreme ends by a web of metal and also by a web of metal j in the plane of the side frame.

Further objects I and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the attached drawings in which Figure 1 is a half plan view of a bolster having the improved end construction;

Figure 2 is a side view of the bolster illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the bolster illus 'trated in Figures 1 and 2:

Figure 4 is a half plan view of a modified Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of the assembly of Figure 7.

Figures 1, '2 and 3 illustrate one form of truck bolster designincluding the improve, ments'of the present invention. The bol: ster illustrated is of the lateral motion type for a four-spring truck. Thebolster is generally indicated 10, having a center plate bearing 12 and including at its'end a top wall 14, side walls 16 and a bottom wall 18. The side walls include :vertical guide lugs 20. The bottom wall 18 is formed with transverse 'corrugations 22 whereby the bolster end rests upon rollers when assembled with theside frame. The side frame includes vertical guide portions 24 which cooperate with the vertical side walls 16 of the bolster end.

As shown in Figure 1, the top wall 14L of the bolster is provided with three openings, one being a transverse opening 26 substantially remains between theside walls of the bolster at theextreme endthereof and a center web I of metal 32 extends between the side walls ofthe bolster in the plane of the side frame.

dinally of the bolster and'formed as shown in dotted lines in Figure/2. A pair of transverse webs v36 are provided, as indicated in Figure 3, tyingtogether the vertical rib 34' with the transverse web 32 of the top wall of the bolster. v

In casting a bolsterfof the, design shown in Figures 1,"2 and 3 it is apparent that the dry sand corewill not cause the side walls 16 to bulge at'their center portions since the cooling of the web 32 will hold the side walls together. However, the provision of the three openings 26 and 28 sufficiently take care of reducing theweight of the bolster and make it easier to cast and clean the bolster. The

dotted circles 38 in Figure 1 illustrate the relative positions of the four springs through which the weight of the bolster is transmitted to the spring plank.

In order to illustrate a design of bolster of a type adapted to cooperate with a sevenspring truck, I have shown one form in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, in which the bolster generally is indicated 40, having a bolster end including a top wall 42, side walls 44 and a, bottom wall 46. The top and bottom walls are tied together by vertical longitudinal ribs 48 and 50 which are offset fromfthe longitudinal center line of the bolster. The top wall 42 of the bolster end has a pair-of openings 52 and 54 centrally disposed with respect to the longitudinal center line of the bolster but offset from the transverse planeof the side frame so that a transverse webv 56 remains which ties together the side walls of the bolster. The vertical ribs 48 and 50 extend from the bottom wall to the top wall '42 of the bolster and merge with the webs 60 and 64 i extending parallel to the longitudinal center line of the bolster. In the spaces between the longitudinal webs60 and'64 and the side walls 44 of the bolster additional openings may be provided, such as shown by the pair 7 of openings 66, which are offset with respect to the center opening 52 and the openings 68 offset with respectto' the central opening 64. The dotted circles 7 0 in Figure 4 illustrate the positions of the supporting springs.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate theassembly of the bolster illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 with a side frame and spring and roller means. This bolster design as well as that illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3' prevents the bulging of the side walls of the bolster end during cast ing and therefore it is not necessary to subsequently straighten the side walls of the bolster bya pressing operation in order that the spaced aparton each sideof-the plane of ,the cooperating side frame.

2. An end construction for a box type bol ster including imperforate bottom and side walls and a top wall havingopenings on each walls, a top wall having a transverse open side of the plane of the cooperating side frame, said openings being formed to leave a web of metal at the end of the top wall of the bolster and a web of metal tying together the side walls of the bolster in the plane of the cooperating side frame whereby to prevent spreading of the sidewalls upon casting the bolster. I

3. An end construction for a box type bolster including imperforate bottomjand side ing spaced between the end of'jthe bolster and the plane of the cooperating side frame, said top wall also having a pair of openings on the other side of the plane of the cooperating side frame, said pair of openings being spaced apart at the longitudinal center line of the bolster and a vertical rib extending from the bottom wall of the bolster end to the top wall between said pair of openings.

4. An end; construction for a box type bolster including imperforate bottom and side walls, a top wall having a plurality of openings on each side of the plane of the cooperating side frame, said openings being so formed as to leave a transverse web of metal tying, together the side walls of the bolster at the extreme end of the top wall of the bolster and at the plane of the cooper- I ating side frame. 7

5. An end construction for a box type bolster including imperforate bottom and side walls, a top wall having a plurality of openings on each side of the cooperating side frame, said openings being symmetrically disposed and including a pair of openings on the longitudinal center line of the bolster and additional openings spaced transversely therefrom and adjacent the side walls of the bolster and a pair of vertical ribs extending from the bottom wall of the bolster to the top wall between the central openings and the side openings.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 19th day of January, 1931.

HARRY E. DOERR. 

